Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) makes signficant cuts

 

 

FYI:
From: Phil Hougen
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 5:11 PM
To: LstcFacStaff; LstcStudents
Subject: transitions at LSTC

January 3, 2012

TO: The LSTC Community

FROM: Philip L. Hougen, Interim President

Sarah Stegemoeller, Chair of the Board of Directors

RE: Transitions at LSTC

Grace and peace to you in this Christmas season. During this season we celebrate Emmanuel, God with us. We remember in the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem that God is with us in all circumstances. Necessarily, life is full of change, some of it clearly good, some just necessary, and some very difficult. This memo explains some of the changes that are occurring at LSTC. Most of these changes will be difficult for many of us. Some positions are being eliminated and others are being consolidated. It is important that all of us be as supportive as possible for those for whom these changes are very difficult. We will need to be as patient as possible in relation to our working in new ways. We will need to be as generous as possible in some newly challenging circumstances.

Over the past months LSTC has been focusing on the need for financial stability. Many of you have had opportunity to take part in conversations and share your insights and suggestions as part of the envisioning process. In the course of these conversations, it has become clear that in order to move toward the goal of financial sustainability, LSTC expenses need to be decreased by a minimum of $500,000. This decrease in expenses along with increases in annual fund support will help LSTC to begin moving toward a financial situation in which current income meets operating expenditures, endowment spending rates are lowered to 5% and borrowing from external sources ceases.

Regretfully, the spending reductions require a number of workforce adjustments and changes that will affect the lives of valued colleagues. I am writing today to let you know of some of the changes that will be taking place.

Administration and Operations:

· All Finance Office services will be outsourced to Quatrro FPO solutions. Rich Hensey, Nate Ramsey, Jeannie Price and Lucy Lee will conclude their service to LSTC as of today. The Finance Office will be closed until Friday of this week when Quatrro personnel will be on site for the first time. Any questions regarding finance matters should be directed to Laura Wilhelm during this time.

· The full-time position of Watchperson and Emergency Maintenance Person is being eliminated, and Michael Slowiak will conclude his service as of today.

· Nick Spehar, Building Services, will reduce his time on campus from three days a week to two days effective July 1, 2012.

· Refectory services will be restructured over the summer of 2012. More information regarding the restructuring will be shared with you as plans develop.

Academic Support/Student Services:

· As of June 30, 2012, Terry Baeder, Dean of Students and Director of MA and MDiv Programs, will retire. He will continue to serve as Director of the MDiv program at LSTC on a 1/3 time contract basis. Kurt Hendel will resume the duties of Director of MA Programs, a position he previously held. In addition to Joan Beck’s service as Pastor to the Community and Director of Spiritual Formation, she will assume duties related to Community Life.

· Lucy Wynard’s interim service as Assistant to the Dean of Students and Assistant to the Director of Spiritual Formation will end as of June 30, 2012. The position will not be filled. The responsibilities associated with this position will be distributed among other administrative staff members.

· The two Teaching/Learning Technologist positions, currently held by Julie Boleyn and Jeff Fitzkappes, will be discontinued as of June 30, 2012.

· There will be further adjustments in academic support/student services which will affect faculty administrative responsibilities.

Faculty

Course and teaching schedules will be adjusted to accommodate the following changes:

· Esther Menn will add responsibilities associated with International Students to her role as Director of Advanced Studies.

· Peter Vethanayagamony will return to full-time teaching. Responsibilities for the DMin program will be assigned to other faculty.

· Barbara Rossing, Professor of New Testament, has requested to move to teaching half-time and her request has been approved. Her position as a tenured member of LSTC’s faculty continues but with reduced teaching responsibilities.

· Vitor Westhelle is requesting to teach half-time for LSTC for a period of four years while he also teaches at the Escola Superior de Teologia, São Leopoldo, Brazil. His position as a tenured member of LSTC‘s faculty would continue but with reduced teaching responsibilities.

Centers at LSTC

· All Centers at LSTC will be required to be financially self-sustaining as of July 1, 2012.

We recognize, celebrate and honor the ways in which all of these people have contributed to LSTC’s ministry and mission and lament the decisions that the current economic reality forces on the seminary. LSTC will provide severance packages and funds to assist with job searches and the seminary will find an appropriate time to give thanks for their ministries and to wish them Godspeed.

A meeting for faculty and staff will be held Wednesday, January 4, at 11:00 am in the Common Room to respond to questions and concerns. After the meeting, departments will gather to discuss changes specific to each area. A meeting for students is scheduled for Thursday, January 5, at 12:15 pm in the Common Room (Room 350). An informational meeting will also be held at the beginning of the semester on Tuesday, January 31. More details will be provided about this meeting.

Going forward LSTC must continue to look for other ways to reduce spending. The Administrative Cabinet will establish a comprehensive budget planning process for 2012-13. Currently a task force is reviewing options available for management and maintenance of housing. Through that process we will also look for an economically feasible long-term plan for classroom and administrative space that addresses LSTC’s mission into the future. The faculty is in the process of reviewing academic structures and practices around tenure. We continue to explore opportunities for collaboration with Valparaiso University, the Covenant Cluster seminaries and other seminaries of the ELCA.

These are not easy days, but the decisions that have been made are necessary as a way to help LSTC move into a financially stable future. We recognize that we live in a changing world and a changing church. Yet we dare to believe that God still calls us to our mission of forming visionary leaders. We continue in our vision of building up the Body of Christ to work for a world of peace and justice.

Although these decisions are difficult and painful, we pray they help us serve faithfully.